A World Apart
by Settiai
Summary: An unusual case brings two very different worlds together.


Title: A World Apart

Author: Settiai

Disclaimer: "Harry Potter" and other related characters are all properties of J. K. Rowling, and related corporations. "NCIS" and other related characters are all properties of Paramount Studios, Belisarius Productions, and other related corporations. No infringement is intended. This story, such as it is, was written as a sign of respect and love for the characters, the book, and their creator. I claim no ownership of the aforementioned show and characters.

Rating: PG-13

Explanation: This is my story for the Crossover Ficathon on LiveJournal, and it was written for featherxquill.

Summary: An unusual case brings two very different worlds together.

Feedback: Comments and helpful criticisms are always appreciated.

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Jethro Gibbs studied the scene in front of him with a furrowed brow. It had seemed clear-cut at first: young male petty officer meets young female civilian in a bar, they leave together for presumably a tumble under the sheets, they get into an argument in the parking lot, and the petty officer ends up dead.

There were only two problems.

The first was that the only item the girl had that even resembled a weapon was a carefully polished stick just over a foot in length. DiNozzo had placed it in an evidence bag earlier before he began interviewing the various witnesses from the bar. A similar object was clutched tightly in the petty officer's hand, and it was going to take more than a little work by Ducky to remove it so that Abby could study the items.

The other was that the petty officer didn't have a mark on him. It was as if he had just… dropped dead.

Gibbs glanced over at the suspect, a young woman in her early to mid twenties. Her red hair was cut short, and he couldn't help but notice the relieved glint in her eyes. His gut was telling him that there was something off about her… and he knew better than to ignore that feeling.

"There's not a mark on the body?" Gibbs asked suddenly, turning around to face the man standing behind him. "None?"

"There is small bruise on the victim's neck," Ducky replied with a wry smile, "but, judging by its appearance, it was caused earlier in the evening, while the two…"

"You could just say 'no,' Duck."

Shaking his head, Gibbs started walking over to where the girl was sitting, followed closely by Ducky. A nod of his head sent the local policeman that had been guarding her hurrying in the opposite direction.

He stopped in front of her. "I'm Special Agent Gibbs, NCIS."

The woman glanced up at him, but she didn't say a word.

"They tell me that you don't have any I.D. on you," Gibbs said, studying the woman's face carefully. "But you told them to call you Ginny."

The woman shrugged. "That's my name," she said quietly.

Gibbs gave her a slightly surprised look. "You're British?" he asked.

Behind him, Ducky stifled a chuckle.

"Last time I checked," Ginny shot back, her meekness replaced by cheekiness for just a moment.

Gibbs scowled at her, and she promptly fell back onto her timidity.

"According to the witnesses, you and the petty officer…" Gibbs paused for a moment to glance down at the notebook in his hands, "…Mark Jenkins, left the bar together earlier tonight. Apparently the two of you had been making out in one of the corner booths for well over an hour before that happened."

"The body laying in the back of your van isn't Mark Jenkins," Ginny replied softly.

Gibbs raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

The woman glanced down at her watch. "I'd go look at the body if I were you," she said, looking back up with a grim smile.

Gibbs nodded when Ducky glanced over at him, and the older man quickly made his way back to his van.

For the next several seconds, Gibbs didn't say a word. He just stood there, staring down at Ginny without blinking. To her credit, she didn't squirm under his gaze -- though she did appear somewhat uncomfortable.

"Jethro, you may want to come see this."

Gibbs gestured for one of the police officers standing nearby to keep an eye on Ginny before making his way to where Ducky was standing. "Want to tell me what--"

He trailed off when he caught sight of the petty officer's body.

The body was still clothed exactly as it had been earlier in the night, but that was the only thing that remained the same. Instead of a young man in his mid-twenties with short blond hair, the person laying inside the body bag was a woman in her early to mid forties with long black hair.

"What the hell?"

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When Gibbs and Ducky stopped in front of her, neither of them said a word. Gibbs stared at her, his eyes asking more than his voice ever could.

"Her name's Bellatrix Lestrange," Ginny replied, answering his unspoken question. "She's insane, for the most part. And she's also a murderer."

Gibbs gave her a calculating stare. "From where I'm standing, you aren't in the position to point any fingers."

Ginny shrugged. "You don't know her."

"True," Gibbs agreed, "but I also don't know you. What happened to the petty officer that you killed?"

"I didn't kill your petty officer," Ginny said, a touch of bitterness in her voice. "She probably did before she took his place though. God only knows where you'll find the body."

Gibbs gave her a cold look. "I saw the petty officer's body," he said icily. "I watched them put that body in the back of our van. And now he's gone, and there's a woman in our body bag wearing his uniform. Care to explain that to me?"

"You wouldn't believe me," she said with a tired sigh.

"Try me."

Ginny stared at him for a moment, studying his face. "She was a witch," she said coldly. "She used a potion to make herself look like someone else."

Gibbs stared at her, the look on his face clearly showing that he thought she was insane. "And why would this… witch… do something like that?"

Ginny met his gaze without flinching. "Because she knew I was following her," she said dryly. "She knew that I was sent to kill her, and she was trying to hide from me."

"I see," Gibbs said, carefully studying his face. "So you expect me to believe that--"

He stopped in mid-sentence when Ducky cleared his throat. "Jethro, one moment, if you don't mind."

Gibbs gave Ducky a curious look, but he nodded. Ducky then turned his attention toward Ginny, a thoughtful look on his face. "Polyjuice?" he asked casually.

When he said that, Ginny stared at him in confusion. "That's right," she said after a few seconds, a hint of hesitation in her voice. "How did you know that?"

Ducky gave her a kindly smile. "My mother was a muggle, but my father was a squib," he said gently. "I didn't inherit anything from his side of the family, but I did have several cousins attend Hogwarts in their youth."

Gibbs cleared his throat pointedly, but Ducky merely held up his hand. "Give me just another minute, Jethro."

"Fine," Gibbs muttered, a hint of warning in his tone.

Ducky shook his head. "What is your family name?" he asked Ginny, a thoughtful look on his face. "I have a suspicion, but I'd like to have it confirmed."

Ginny stared at him with some scrutiny. "Weasley," she said finally. "My last name is Weasley."

Ducky closed his eyes for a moment. "You're one of Arthur Weasley's children?" he guessed, reluctantly opening them in order to meet her gaze.

"Youngest of seven," she replied quietly. "But there's only four now. Mostly because of the woman laying in your body bag."

"I see," Ducky said. "Are you an Auror? Or is this merely a personal vendetta?"

Ginny smirked just a bit. "I'm an Auror," she said wryly, "but it's still a bit of a personal vendetta."

"I understand," Ducky said, smiling at her. "If you are an Auror, though, then it might be wise if you were to contact your superiors. I'm certain that they have precautions in case something such as this happens."

"They probably do," Ginny agreed.

"Your moment's up," Gibbs said, more than a touch of irritability in his voice as he stared at Ducky. "Care to tell me exactly what the hell you're talking about?"

Before Ducky had a chance to reply, Ginny glanced around and -- seeing that no one was looking their way -- let out a soft laugh. Gibbs turned his attention toward her, an irritated look on his face.

"I'm sorry if this causes you any trouble," she said apologetically.

She disappeared into thin air.

Gibbs stared at where Ginny had been sitting. "Would you care to explain what the hell just happened?" he asked, his voice slightly strained.

Somewhere in the distance, a cacophony of barking dogs suddenly filled the air.

"I do believe that our young friend just Disapparated," Ducky said lightly.

"Ah," Gibbs said weakly. The he turned and stared at Ducky. "You do realize that we let a murder suspect get away, don't you?"

"Don't worry, Jethro," Ducky replied, reaching over to pat the other man on the shoulder. "I'm certain that we'll be getting a call from very high up any time now telling us to forget that we ever saw the girl."

Gibbs kept staring at him. "And why exactly would that happen?" he asked in disbelief.

"Because she's from another world," Ducky said softly.


End file.
